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Hand of God

The following World Cup belonged to another young striker, Argentina’s Diego Maradona. In 1986, Argentina arrived in Mexico as an underdog to win the title but played well in the group stage and second round to advance to the quarterfinals against England.

The quarterfinal match was scoreless at the start of the second half when Maradona scored one of the most controversial goals in history. On a clearing attempt in his own box by English defender Steve Hodge, he mishit it, and the ball corkscrewed over to Maradona, who was running directly down the center of the area. Maradona raised his arms and jumped to head the ball, but punched it into the goal with his hand instead. The referee did not see the hand ball, and the goal counted. After the game, Maradona famously said the goal was “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.”

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